Chiropractic if you are pregnant? Absolutely! Keeping your spine free from vertebral subluxations is one of the best things you can do if you are pregnant. Your doctor of chiropractic is uniquely trained to adjust you during pregnancy. They will alter their treatment techniques to maximize your comfort and suit your growing body. Chiropractic offers a drug free alternative for pain management and overall health.
During pregnancy, your centre of gravity changes due to the increased weight you are carrying. This adds stress to the spine. In addition, your spinal structure becomes more flexible because hormonal changes are relaxing the ligaments in the pelvis in preparation for childbirth. The combination of changing gravity and ligamentous laxity predisposes a pregnant woman’s spine to subluxations.
As an added bonus, studies show that women receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy experienced a reduction in the average time spent in labour by 24% in a first delivery, and 39% when delivering a 2nd or 3rd time.*
Breech Presentation – A Special Consideration
One of the latest developments in chiropractic prenatal care has been a method of correcting breech presentations in which the baby isn’t positioned properly for birth, developed in the US by chiropractor Dr. Larry Webster. Chiropractors are able to release stress on the pregnant woman’s pelvis, and create relaxation in uterine ligaments, allowing the baby to turn without external forces being applied. This technique, performed at the Wellington Chiropractic Group, is up to 94% successful in turning babies in utero so they can be delivered naturally.
*Fallon, J The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Pregnancy and Labour: A Comprehensive Study. World Federation of Chiropractic, 1991:24-31